Cosmetic loose powder dispenser

ABSTRACT

A cosmetic loose powder dispenser for loading loose facial powder onto a retractable cosmetic brush. The dispenser includes three compartments: the first compartment houses the retractable cosmetic brush; the second compartment is the cap for the cosmetic brush and contains small holes in the closed end of the cap for dispensing loose powder; and the third compartment, also cap-like, serves as a reservoir for storage of loose powder. When all three compartments are joined together, the small holes in the closed end of the brush cap, in conjunction with the natural agitation encountered by the dispenser, such as when transported in a pocket or purse, allow an appropriate amount of loose powder to be loaded on the brush tips for a quick touch up by the user in a less messy and more convenient manner.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates to cosmetic dispensers. More specifically, thisinvention relates to take-along cosmetic dispensers used for loosefacial powder, including a brush for application.

2. Prior Art

For years and years, women who wear make-up have generally taken alongin their purses or pockets two essential cosmetic products, a lipstickand a compact, for re-application during their time away from home.However, most make-up wearers of today avoid the caked-on look caused bycompressed powder in compacts and prefer a lighter, more naturalappearance that loose facial powder provides. But being unable totake-along loose facial powder in a pocket or purse for quick touch-upshas been a great inconvenience for users of loose facial powder.Unfortunately, the majority of loose powder containers on the markettoday are round and bulky cylinders that have been designed particularlyfor use in the bathroom or vanity area of homes. The idea for thepresent device originated when this inventor, desiring a loose powderdispenser to put in a small evening bag, was unable to find such aproduct on the market. Thus, this inventor fabricated a prototype of thepresent invention. A portable dispenser for non-compressed powder isneeded, and there are several prior-art patents relating to thisinvention, such as: U.S. Pat. No. Des. 307,646; 4,832,060; 4,974,981;3,694,096; U.S. D450,888S; and U.S. D453,589S.

U.S. Pat. No. Des. 307646 to Kingsford is a cosmetic powder dispenserconsisting of two parts: an hour-glass shaped container which holds theloose powder and the separate cosmetic brush, which fits into thecontainer. As stated in the claim, the primary goal of this invention isornamental; whereas, the present invention is designed primarily forfunction. In addition, this prior-art design is not portable ortake-along, does not have a retractable brush, and no means is providedto limit the amount of powder dispensed on the brush.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,060 to Kingsford shows a powder dispenser withcosmetic brush similar to prior art noted above. As previously stated,this dispenser is not portable or take-along and consists of anon-retractable brush. Also, there is no means provided to control theamount of powder loaded on the brush, and the application of powder isrestricted by having to first invert the container and then righting it.The present invention is functional and take-along. It has a retractablebrush and a built-in mechanism which allows an appropriate amount ofpowder to be dispensed automatically on the brush, thus eliminating theneed to first upright the tube and then righting it.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,981 to Bennett is a complex device. It consists of adeformable powder container which requires squeezing the container inorder to spray the powder through a metering collar to the applicatorbrush. In addition to this complex metering collar, this prior-artdevice contains upstanding posts to ensure sufficient agitation andbreak-up of powder. The second part of this device is a cosmetic brushwhich fits into the powder dispenser in a unitary fashion. The complexdesign of this invention would be difficult and expensive to fabricate.Also, the applicator brush is not retractable for ease and portability,and there is no indication that the powder dispenser portion of thecontainer is refillable. The present invention is not of a complexdesign and would be easy and inexpensive to fabricate. The presentinvention consists of three compartments; the first one contains aretractable cosmetic brush; the second compartment is the cap for thebrush, and the closed end of said cap contains multiple small holes notunlike those in a salt shaker; and the third compartment, also cap-like,is a reservoir for storage of loose powder that fits onto theaforementioned brush cap so that when all three compartments are joinedtogether, the tips of the brush bristles are in close proximity to theholes in said brush cap. This close proximity of the brush tips to thesmall holes in the brush cap, together with the natural agitationencountered by the dispenser, such as in a pocket or purse, permit anappropriate amount of loose facial powder to be deposited on the brushtips. The present invention is of simple design and does not require anytype of complex mechanism such as a metering collar or upstanding poststo agitate, break-up or distribute cosmetic powder. Also, the reservoirportion of the cap containing loose powder can be fixed or it can beremovable, thus allowing the cap to be refilled.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,694,096 to Seidler, is a complex device for dispensingpowder or cream. Unlike the present invention, this dispenser is not ofsimple design as it includes a complicated spring-loaded plunger whichmust be manually triggered by the user in order for the powder or othermaterial to come in contact with the applicator. The present inventionrequires no special mechanical system for loading the brush. Inaddition, this prior art, because of its complexity, would be difficultand expensive to fabricate.

U.S. D450,888S to Breidenbach, et.al, is an ornamental design for a dualcosmetic dispenser. This prior art is strictly a container to hold anddispense cosmetics of a general nature.

U.S. D453,589S to Breidenbach, et.al, is another ornamental design for adual cosmetic dispenser. This prior art is strictly a container to holdand dispense cosmetics of a general nature.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is a pocket or purse-size dispenser for loose facialpowder. The non-deformable container, resembling the size and shape of atube of lipstick, consists of three compartments: the first compartmentcontains a retractable application brush; the second compartment is thecap for the brush and the closed end of the brush cap contains smallholes which allow for dispensing of loose facial powder; and a thirdcompartment, also cap-like, serves as a reservoir for storage of loosepowder and fits onto the closed end of the brush cap containing multipleholes in said second compartment This cap-like reservoir in said thirdcompartment, made of either plastic or metal, fits onto the brush cap byfriction grip or threading which allows the reservoir to be refilled; orit can be fixed permanently to the brush cap, if desired. When all threecompartments are joined together in a unitary structure, the brush tipsare in close proximity to the small holes in the end of the brush cap.These small holes, along with the natural agitation encountered by thetake-along dispenser in a pocket or purse, allow an appropriate amountof loose powder to be loaded on the brush tips. For a quick touch-up,the user pulls apart the brush compartment from the unitary structure,similar to opening a tube of lipstick, and an appropriate amount ofloose powder is already on the brush. The user then releases theretracted brush to its full extension and applies the loose powder tothe face in a fast and efficient manner. The brush is then fullyretracted by the user and put back into the powder/brush cap compartmentfor storage and future use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a cosmetic loose powder dispenser in accordancewith the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the dispenser with the powder reservoirseparated from the retractable brush compartment and the brush capcompartment which are joined together.

FIG. 3 shows the three separate compartments of the dispenser, whichinclude a side view of the retractable brush compartment depicting theretracted brush tips, a top perspective of the brush cap containingsmall holes, and a bottom perspective of the powder reservoir.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the brush cap with small holes and the powderreservoir joined together.

FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective of the inside of the brush cap, showingsmall holes, joined to the powder reservoir.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As shown in the drawings, the cosmetic loose powder dispenser inaccordance with the present invention includes a first compartmentcontaining a retractable cosmetic brush 1. A second compartment is thecap 2 for the first compartment, and the closed end of said cap 2contains small holes 6 allowing for dispensing of loose powder. Thethird compartment is a cap-like reservoir 3 for storage of loose powder.This cap-like reservoir 3 fits onto the closed end of the brush cap 2,and the means for attaching the powder reservoir 3 can be fixed,friction-gripped, or threaded onto the brush cap 2. When the loosepowder reservoir 3 is attached to the brush cap 2 in a threaded orfriction-gripped manner, the powder reservoir 3 is refillable.

The cosmetic loose powder dispenser, which can be made of metal orplastic or a combination of both, is formed when the three compartmentsare joined together in a unitary structure. When the three compartmentsare joined together, the brush tips 5 in the first compartment are inclose proximity to the small holes 6 in the closed end of the brush cap2. The small holes 6 working together with the natural agitationencountered by the loose powder dispenser, such as in a pocket or purse,permit an appropriate amount of loose powder, stored in the powderreservoir 3, to be loaded on the retracted brush tips 5. In thisDetailed Description, the second compartment which is the brush cap 2and the third compartment which is the loose powder reservoir 3 fromthis point on are joined together. When the user manually pulls apartthe retracted cosmetic brush 1 from the now joined second and thirdcompartments and rotates the retracted brush 1 to full extension,similar to opening and accessing a tube of lipstick, the user canquickly and easily apply the powder which is now on the brush tips 5.

The retractable cosmetic brush bristles can be natural or synthetic andshaped in a manner corresponding with the shape of the closed end ofbrush cap 2, for example, in a slightly contoured form.

This invention, of simple design, could be of a tube-like shape and willbe conducive to portability in both size and shape. Also, it does notrequire a complicated mechanism for dispensing loose powder onto thebrush tips. Furthermore, this cosmetic loose powder dispenser will beinexpensive and easy to fabricate and will provide a means for quicktouch ups by users of loose powder in a less messy and more convenientmanner.

1. A cosmetic loose powder dispenser comprising: a first compartmentcontaining a cosmetic brush, having natural or synthetic bristles, andsaid cosmetic brush is retractable; and a second compartment which isthe cap for said first compartment and the closed end of said capcontains small holes allowing for dispensing of loose powder; and athird compartment, a cap-like reservoir for storage of loose powder,which fits onto the aforementioned closed end of the brush cap of saidsecond compartment, and means for attaching said powder reservoir can befixed, friction-gripped, or threaded onto the brush cap, and when saidpowder reservoir is attached to the brush cap by being threaded orfriction-gripped, said powder reservoir is refillable; and when thethree compartments are joined together in a unitary structure, such thatthe brush tips in said first compartment are in close proximity to thesmall holes in the closed end of the brush cap in said secondcompartment, so that the holes working together with the naturalagitation encountered by said dispenser, such as in a pocket or purse,permit an appropriate amount of loose powder, stored in said thirdcompartment, to be loaded on the brush tips, whereby user by manuallypulling apart the brush compartment from the now combined second andthird compartments and by releasing the retracted brush to fullextension, similar to opening and accessing a tube of lipstick, canquickly and easily apply the powder loaded on the brush tips.
 2. Thecosmetic dispenser of simple design will require no complex mechanismfor dispensing loose powder onto the brush tips, will be inexpensive andeasy to fabricate, and will provide a means for quick touch ups by usersof loose powder in a less messy and more convenient manner.
 3. Thecosmetic dispenser could be tube-shaped and made of metal, plastic, or acombination of metal and plastic.